You ask Something of me Which I Cannot Give
by Availre
Summary: Final Lair Scene, one shot. NOT an E/C fic. Well, maybe kinda sorta, it is. But not really. Read at your own risk.


"You ask something of me which I cannot give, Erik," Christine whimpered, pulling away from the skeleton like hand. "I love Raoul!"

"You love him for his pretty face!" Erik snarled.

"No! He is a kind man!" she said, and he glared at her maliciously, making her shrink back in horror and disgust.

"Had I been blessed with better looks, child, there would be no competition."

And Erik began to sing. It was a possessive melody that clung to Christine's soul, tainting it for all eternity.

"Stop! Enough of this sorcery, Erik," Christine practically hissed. "I do care for music, but not as I care for Raoul." Her voice was suddenly broken, defeated. "I cannot give what you ask of me, Erik," she whispered, repeating yourself.

In his anger, Erik pulled the noose tighter around the young Vicomte's neck, causing him to make horrible gagging noises.

"Say it plainly, then, Christine, and complete my misery!" She shook her head wildly, taking another step back. "Say it!"

"I cannot love you!" Her chest was heaving, and tears were leaving shiny tracks down her pretty face. "I cannot love you."

"So that is it, then. You've made your choice!"

"No, Erik, please! Don't hurt him!" she pleaded racing towards the deformed man and kneeling at his feet. "Please, I beg of you."

"And why should I listen to you? I begged you to love me, and what did I get in return? Shame! Disgust! Horror! Fear! No, begging will not work with me, Christine… I will say it but once more: make—your—choice, or I will make it for you, and then we will _all _be unhappy."

"Oh, Erik, what have you done to deserve the treatment you've been given by all? Would that I could show you, you are not alone!" Christine was shaking her head.

"I feel horribly sorry for you, Erik, Maestro… Had you not deceived me so, perhaps things would have turned out differently."

"Your pity comes much too late, I'm afraid, darling Christine. If you should pity anyone, it would be your precious Vicomte! Even now, his airflow lessens and he draws close to the impenetrable void that is death… a life hangs in the balance, Christine, hurry and choose, now…" He cackled insanely.

Christine rose to her feet and, inches away from the man she had once called "friend," looked at him for what seemed an eternity to both.

"Erik, I'm sorry," she whispered, leaning in and placing a kiss gently on his misshapen lips. "I'm sorry that I cannot love you as you so deserve to be."

Christine heard, rather than saw, the rope in Erik's hands go slack. She heard it splash into the shallow water; heard Raoul's large rasping breaths for air. The only thing she saw was Erik, who was slowly sinking to the ground, his gaunt frame wracked with sorrowful sobs.

"Leave," he whispered hoarsely. "Please, just leave; don't come back. Don't let the mob find you!"

Raoul grabbed Christine by the waist and led her away from the pitiful man who was once the Phantom of the Opera. Before he was completely out of sight, Christine stopped and turned to face her mentor. He had taught her everything she knew about music. He had given her everything, and she had given him nothing—nothing at all.

"I must go back," she whispered, looking into Raoul's eyes, "Just to say farewell. I'll come back." After a moment's hesitation, Raoul nodded silently, and Christine walked to the crumpled body on the shore of the lake.

Christine stood, just watching Erik, until he noticed her and looked up, barely managing to hold back another sob. She could see that he was hoping against hope that she had come back and had chosen him.

"Christine, I love you," he whispered. She knelt down and placed her rosary in his hand, choosing instead to keep the simple gold band he had given her. He curled his fingers around the necklace, and she kissed his hand tenderly.

"Goodbye, Erik," she murmured before standing up and walking away. She couldn't look back this time; for fear that she would stay forever.

**Well, I hope you liked this one shot. I'm sorry to all the E/C shippers out there, but most of my other phics have been E/C, so I'm not all bad. XD Please review, if it pleases you to do so. :)**


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